Since our last e-newsletter on Aug. 16, 2010, the Academy Boulevard Corridor Great Streets Project Team has continued to make progress on the Great Streets Plan. On Aug. 25, 2010, the team conducted a working meeting at Fire Station # 8, in the study area at Academy Boulevard and Airport Road, with about 25 key stakeholders and team members. At that meeting, the team developed a complete list of potential options for roadway, transit and non-motorized elements. A meeting summary is available on the project Web site.
The team also discussed criteria for purposes of screening down the broad range of alternative elements, along with the three generalized land use scenarios that will be modeled. These land use scenarios are the 2035 base case (which is consistent with the currently adopted Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Long Range Transportation Plan), a Phased Vision Plan, and a Full Vision Plan. These concepts will be used to provide the population and housing inputs needed to run the model, which will test the selected alternatives.
Since Aug. 25, the project team has further refined the Step 1 screening criteria and the alternative elements options. These options have been initially evaluated and scored to develop a manageable number of alternatives to fully model with the different land use scenarios. A draft summary of the alternatives screening process, the current scoring matrix, and a brief description of the elements are all available on the project Web site.
It should be noted that certain options, eliminated for the purpose of full modeling, may be considered viable in the future. Several members of the project team have scheduled a meeting from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Friday, Nov. 12, 2010 in the City Administration Building, 30 S. Nevada, Suite 105 for anyone with concerns or interests in the alternatives refinement process. Also, if you're unable to attend the meeting, contact the project team by email at [email protected].
The project team expects to complete both the detailed technical modeling and Step 2 alternatives screening in November and December. The team's goal is to have the second major public meeting in January 2011. At that meeting the team will present the completed analysis with the draft recommendations for both the Multi-Modal Transportation Plan and the Land Use Vision Plan.
At this point, the recommended Land Use Vision Plan is anticipated to be based on land-use nodes and be graphically general in nature, but with significant corresponding detail focusing on ideas for short- and long-term implementation. Please look forward to more on that topic in our next newsletter.
In the meantime, the team continues its communications, outreach and update process. We are also continuing to add to our evolving list of ideas. If you would like an individual update or presentation to your group or organization, please contact us. And of course, visit our web site at www.AcademyBlvdGreatStreets.com to access additional information about the Academy Boulevard Corridor Great Streets project.
The Academy Boulevard Corridor Great Streets Project Team